A lottery is a gambling game that involves paying for a chance to win a prize, which can range from money to jewelry to a new car. Its aspirational appeal, tapping into desires for wealth and happiness, is a key part of its appeal. In addition, a lottery has the potential to be an effective means of raising funds for a specific public good. This is especially true in times of economic stress, when the state’s budget is tight and politicians are looking for ways to raise revenues without increasing taxes on citizens.

Lottery games are often marketed as “painless” sources of revenue for the state, and this claim has proved to be very successful in winning and retaining public support. But the truth is that state governments become dependent on lottery profits, and pressures are always mounting to increase those profits. Moreover, lottery revenues are not tied to a state’s actual fiscal condition; they seem to win broad support even in states that have good, stable budgets.

Once a lottery is established, it usually begins by setting up a state agency or public corporation to run the games (as opposed to licensing private firms in return for a portion of the profits), and then offering a small number of relatively simple games. As the popularity of the lottery grows, however, demand for more games increases, and officials are compelled to introduce new ones to maintain or increase profits. Consequently, lottery operations are often run at cross-purposes with the public interest.